Early Childhood Education Montessori
Bachelor of Science | COLLEGE FOR ADULTS
About the program
Are you a Montessori educator interested in completing a bachelor’s degree in a fully online format?
Enroll in St. Kate’s early childhood education degree program, where you’ll earn credit for your previous Montessori training, expand your teaching expertise, and learn to advance social justice through early childhood education.
This program is designed for Montessorians by Montessorians. You’ll be part of a highly supportive learning community that includes your peers from across the world. All major courses are taught by seasoned faculty with Montessori credentials and experience.
You’ll take fully online courses and interact online multiple times each week and in monthly virtual meetings. You’ll have access to online tutoring and round-the-clock technology help.
What
can I do with a degree in early childhood education?
You will be prepared to work in public and private schools, early childhood education centers, and other organizations as an early childhood educator. With the expansion of early childhood programs, demand for early childhood educators is expected to grow.
What will I study?
Our program focuses on personal, social, and institutional transformation. You will be mentored and supported by experienced early childhood and Montessori faculty who have a passion for working with adult students and preparing the next generation of educators. You will:
• Become a socially aware, critically informed and innovative educator
• Learn in a supportive environment that nurtures mind, body, and spirit
• Focus on social justice build skills in anti-bias and anti-racist (ABAR) teaching strategies
• Ground your teaching in Montessori methods, with a focus on the whole child
• Meet the needs of diverse learners
• Develop an understanding of ways to integrate technology into teaching and learning
• Develop awareness and skills for leadership, communication, ethics, and social justice
Earn 25 credits for your Montessori credential
You are eligible for 25 St. Kate’s credits toward this program if you hold a Montessori credential from a training center accredited by the Montessori Accreditation Council for Teacher Education (MACTE). Visit macte.org to find out if your credential is accredited.
Do you have a Montessori credential and want to earn a teaching license?
Then consider our separate program, Early Childhood Education with Licensure. Students completing this program will be eligible to apply to the Minnesota Department of Education for a credential to teach children from birth to eight years old. And, students pursuing this option who have a Montessori credential from a MACTE accredited training center will earn 19 credits for their credential. Ask your admission counselor for more information.
Fieldwork experiences
Hands-on learning includes 10 or more hours of infant and toddler field experience, a child case study and portfolio development.
Class scheduling / time to completion
Courses are fully online, although you may choose to take some liberal arts and elective courses in the hybrid delivery format.
The Early Childhood Education: Montessori major may be completed in 3+ years. You may take longer to complete liberal arts and elective courses.
Admission Process
To be eligible to begin Early Childhood Major courses 2200 and above, you must have:
• Completed ECED 1000 and ECED 2040 with a grade of “C” or better
• Completed the ECE Program Application during ECED 2040 (includes entrance survey, essay, and resume)
• Earned a cumulative grade point average of 2.0 or higher
• Met with your academic advisor to create a program of study
Your program of study
You may transfer additional credits from regionally accredited colleges or universities to meet requirements for your St. Kate's degree. We’ll work with you to satisfy liberal arts, supporting, and elective requirements with your previous college credits. Courses taken outside the U.S. must be evaluated by the World Education Service (WES).
Prerequisite course
• ECED 1000: Introduction to Early Childhood Education (4 credits)
• ECED 2040W: Historical, Cultural, and Social Foundations of Early Childhood Education (4 credits)
Supporting courses
• FACS 3350: Child in the Family (4 credits)
• HHS 4100: Holistic Health in Communities of Practice (4 credits)
• INDI 3400: Implementing Critical Literacy in Early Childhood Education (4 credits)
• PSYC 1000: General Psychology (4 credits)
• PSYC 2025: Lifespan Developmental Psychology (4 credits) or PSYC 2026: Lifespan Development: Theory and Methods, Conception/Prenatal Development to Middle Childhood (2 credits)
Major courses
• ECED 2200: The Art of Classroom Management and Assessment (4 credits)
• ECED 2300: Early Childhood Education Accreditation and Standards (1 credit)
• ECED 2500: Technology in Teaching and Learning in Early Childhood Education (1 credit)
• ECED 3280: Infant and Toddler Methods and Materials (4 credits)
• ECED 3350: Understanding of Diverse Family Experiences and Student Exceptionalities in Early Childhood (4 credits)
• ECED 3560: Emergent Literacy in the Content Areas (2 credits)
• ECED 3600: Teaching and Learning in the Lower Elementary Classroom (3 credits)
School of Humanities, Arts, and Sciences
Early childhood education is a major in the University’s School of Humanities, Arts and Sciences, offering bachelor’s and master’s programs through the College for Adults, College for Women and Graduate College.
Accreditation
St. Catherine University is fully accredited by the Higher Learning Commission of the North Central Association of Colleges and Schools.
All information is subject to change
The information in this document applies to students entering the College for Adults in Fall 2023 or later. Provisions in this document are subject to change at any time. Consult the St. Catherine University Undergraduate Catalog for official requirements.
• ECED 3650: Student Teaching Seminar (2 credits)
• ECED 4705: Practicum (5 credits)
Core liberal arts courses
• CORE 1000W: The Reflective Woman: The Reflective Practitioner (4 credits)
• CORE 3990W: Global Search for Justice (4 credits)
• Behavioral and Social Sciences: choose one from communication studies, economics, political science, psychology or sociology (except ECON 1080, 1090, or PSYC 1090)
• Mathematics or Logical Reasoning: choose one from ECON 1080, ECON 1090, HLTH 1090, PSYC 1090, PHIL 2150, STAT 1089, STAT 1090, or any four-credit MATH course numbered 1000 or higher, except MATH 2500 and MATH 2510
• Natural Sciences: choose one course with a laboratory and/or field component in biology, chemistry, or physics
• Arts and Humanities: choose two courses from different disciplines: philosophy (except PHIL 2150), literature, history, foreign language, studio art, art history, creative writing, classics.
• Theology: choose one 1000 or any 2000-level theology course (except 2994 Topics)
Electives
Additional courses, as needed, to accumulate a minimum of 120 semester credits required for your bachelor’s degree
CORE course exemptions
Students seeking a B.A., B.S. or B.S.N. degree who have completed a previous bachelor's degree from a regionally accredited institution prior to enrollment at St. Catherine University are exempt from the LIFE core curriculum requirement
Students seeking a B.A., B.S. or B.S.N. degree who have completed an A.A. degree from a regionally accredited institution or the Minnesota Transfer Curriculum can satisfy the LIFE core curriculum requirement by taking CORE 3990
Next steps
• Contact your admission counselor
• Ask for a free transfer evaluation
• Apply to start in fall, spring, or summer
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